Container handle



Mamh 1956 1. NURKIEWICZ CONTAINER HANDLE Filed July 50, 1952 INVENTOR. IGNNHUS NURKIEWIOZ/ ATTURNEX United States Patent CONTAINER HANDLE Ignatius Nurkiewicz, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Stop Fire, Inc., Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 30, 1952, Serial No. 301,747

2 Claims. (Cl. 16-110) This invention relates to a fire extinguisher of the stored pressure type such as I have disclosed in my companion Patent Number 2,530,583, issued November 21, 1950.

Such an extinguisher comprises a container having a handle that is pivoted in such a manner that normally it lies folded down parallel to and close to the side of the container, but it can be raised to more nearly horizontal position for use, where it can cooperate with a fluid releasing valve lever, so that the lever may be operated by the same hand that carries the container by the handle. Such extinguisher may have a nozzle directly attached to the container or may have a short hose terminating in a nozzle, which can be manipulated with one hand.

Moreover, the device carries a spring pressed valve to control the how of the fluid, which is releasable by the valve lever carrying a locking dog to prevent its operation. This dog is also placed in a position to be operated by the same hand that holds the extinguisher if desired.

Difiiculty may be experienced with such an extinguisher by reason of the pivoted characteristic of the handle, which makes the operation of the valve and the spray ejected from the device also uncertain. The device is used under conditions of emergency and excitement and if the proper relation of handle and releasing lever and valve lever and nozzle are not established when the handle is raised, without having to examine it too carefully, the tire may gain undue headway and the usefulness of the device is greatly reduced. It is of first importance, therefore, that the operating parts be brought into exact operating relation and held there as soon as the handle is raised. It is also desirable that some form of audible signal be sounded when that operative position is attained. It is an object of this invention to accomplish these results.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a device embodying this invention. Fig. 2 is a side view partly in section with the handle lowered. Fig. 3 is a similar view with the handle raised to operative position.

In the drawings the numeral 11 represents the container for a fluid fire extinguishing compound such for example as chlorobromomethane under pressure. A housing 12 screws into a hollow plug 13 screwed into the top of the container with a gas-tight joint. The housing 12 is rectangular and houses a valve diagrammatically represented by the valve stem 14, which controls the flow of gas from the interior of the container to a nozzle 15 screwed into the side of the housing. The valve represented by stem 14 is spring pressed outwardly to close against a seat not shown.

A lever 16 is pivoted at 17 to the housing and encircles the valve stern 14 and upon the valve stem are two shoulders, one 18 above the lever and one 19 below so that when the lever is turned about its pivot 17 it may bear against shoulder 19 to depress and open the valve to permit discharge of the fluid through the nozzle 15.

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The main handle 20 is bifurcated at its upper end to embrace the housing at one side and it is pivoted to the housing at 21. It is shaped that when folded downwardly it Will be very close to the container, but when grasped by the hand it may be pulled out from the container as shown in Fig. 3.

The mechanisms here described are common to this invention and to the invention described in my former application.

In operation of such a device if the handle 20 folds easily it may not remain fully up, or in raising it hurriedly when confronted with a fire, the handle may not be fully raised. in either case the attention of the operator is diverted from the fire until the matter is corrected. Moreover if the handle is easily turnable the position of the jet in regard to the fire will be uncertain.

In accordance with this invention there is provided a latch 22 pivoted on handle 20 at 23. A spring 24 mounted on pivot 23 engages the handle and latch to force the latch downwardly against the pivot 17 which projects out for that purpose. The latch 22 is of a length so that it rests upon the pivot 17 at all positions of the handle but it has a notch on its underside, a notch 25 to fit over the pivot 17 and hold the handle in horizontal position. This spring and handle serve the further function of giving a. click when the handle is locked in place by the latch. The provision of the spring held latch, moreover, enables the handle to pivot readily so that it can be moved to operative position without tendency to bind partway up.

A cam latch 26 is also pivoted to the housing 12 at 27 extending upwardly through an opening 28 in lever 16 and carrying a projection 29 in position to engage the underside of lever 16 at the edge of opening 28 to hold the lever against depression. This latch 26 is spring pressed counterclockwise as seen in Fig. 2 so that if the lever 16 is pressed outwardly when the device is filled, or after partial use, the latch will snap into locking position at the same time the valve 14 is forced tightly against its seat by the outward movement of the lever 16. The upper surface of projection 29 is however, high enough -to prevent the latch from snapping to locking position unless the lever 16 is definitely pulled outwardly.

The latch 26 extends upwardly above the lever 16 and is provided with a thumb piece 30 and with a hole 31 through which a breakable wire carrying a seal may be inserted to prevent accidental discharge.

This invention thus contributes quite materially in insuring that the extinguisher can be relied upon to serve in an emergency without confusion or loss of time.

What is claimed is:

l. A mechanism comprising a container having a body, a handle pivoted to the body movable from a position close to the body to an extended position, a pin upon said body, a latch upon said handle in position to engage said pin when the handle is extended, and a spring connecting said latch and said body for urging said latch against the pin.

2. A mechanism comprising a container having a body, a handle pivoted to the body movable from a position close to the body to an extended position, a pin upon said body, a latch upon said handle in position to engage said pin when the handle is extended, and a spring upon said body bearing against said latch and handle for urging said latch against the pin, and said handle to close position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 487,688 Wood Dec. 6, 1892 2,530,583 Nurkiewicz Nov. 21, 1950 2,564,733 Sipkin Aug. 21, 1951 

